This invention relates to adhesives and sealants and more specifically to an improved binder portion system incorporated therein.
Compositions useful as sealants or adhesives generally include a binder portion (sometimes called the vehicle) which provides a structural base for the sealant or adhesive. A suitable binder should have high elasticity and good cohesive strength. Depending on the end use, a binder can be used in conjunction with a tackifying resin to provide adhesion between a substrate and the binder or along with fillers to provide bulk in a sealant. Organic solvents can be added to provide a solvent release adhesive system. If the binder system is emulsified in a water-oil system, water based sealant and/or adhesives can be prepared which avoid sometimes environmentally detrimental organic solvent systems. One commerical binder system now used is based on butyl rubber, which unfortunately can lack strength, be difficult to emulsify and can biologically degrade before use. Polysulfide systems generally have satisfactory physical properties, but they are too expensive to be used in many commercial applications.